THE UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF SMALL STEPS

One of the great tragedies is to dream but take no action,
or ineffective action, to make your dream come true. To die
with your dreams and aspirations still inside you, waiting
for another time, another day, or a "big break" is the
greatest of failures. As I get older, I'm learning that we
cannot wait! 
Literally everything you see and every tool you use, even
the chair you're sitting on, began as nothing but thought.
Someone had an idea for a chair. Henry Ford had an idea
that cars could be in every garage. Your computer began as
an idea and a series of huge, crude devices in the 1940's.
The computer you are using right now began as someone's
idea that they could manufacture and sell computers better,
faster and cheaper than anyone else.
Everything starts with an idea. It always has, and always
will. The life you are now living is the result of all your
thoughts and decisions to this point. Your future will be--
it must and can only be--what you imagine for yourself.
Many people have observed that "ideas are things." Thoughts
and words have the power to move us, to change us, and to
become living, breathing, tangible things! In a sense, our
world is made up of nothing but thoughts and words!
But there is a gulf between an idea and its fulfillment.   
Most "things" are actually still-born and never come to
fruition because we fail to span the gulf between potential
and reality. That gap can only be bridged with daily
action.
How many times have you thought of an invention or process
that could be worth a fortune, done nothing about it, and
then found that same (or a similar) product for sale a few
months later? We've all had that experience. Someone got
rich off "your" idea and the difference is that they took
specific, concrete ACTION. Their product is in the store,
making money, and your idea is still inside you,
accomplishing little. Don't let that happen again!
Here are some basics, some essentials to make your dreams
come true:
1. Plan your days. Every evening, plan the following day.
First thing in the morning, plot your priorities. Leaders
have always done this! This is not new! But only about 4%
of the population does it. Write down your priorities and
choose your daily actions. In advance. Every day.
2. Keep a list of big things. On your desk or on the
dashboard of your car, keep a list of your most important
projects, goals and commitments. Keep it where you see it,
and read it, every day. Keep it current. What we think
about, gets done.
3. Keep a list of small things. Keep a list of 5-minute
tasks, phone calls or notes that you can do any place, any
time. When you wait for an appointment, make that call.
When you have a minute, send a note or read a few pages.
Always know "what's next" and take lots of small, effective
actions, every single day.
4. Take magnificent care of yourself! Healthy, happy,
energetic people get the most done. It takes time and
energy to achieve greatness. If you "don't have time", or
are "too tired" or too distracted or too busy with small
things, you will not achieve your dreams. Take care of
yourself. Manage your life.
We've all heard the phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day."
We know that "a journey of a thousand miles starts with a
single step," and we've heard the Serenity Prayer that God,
"Give me the courage to change the things I can."
You cannot often achieve great things over-night because in
general, human beings do not do "big" things. We do little
things. We get up, we go to work. We hug our loved ones and
make phone calls. We check email, exercise and fix dinner.
We do little things! Highly successful people simply do the
right little things, at the right time, in the right way--
and they do lots of them.
If you would achieve great things, do little things and
pile them one on top of another, until you reach the stars.
Start today.